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Short Takes:
Five leaders of the prohibited Algerian Islamic Salvation Front -- Abd El-Kader Hashani, Kamal Kamazi, Abd El-Kader Damdam, Omar Abd El-Kader and Ali Magdi -- announced their support for reconciliation endeavors, considering achieving reconciliation as saving the blood of Algerians and erasing the effects of the crisis. The five called for opening the door before the national forces without exception to achieve a comprehensive political solution that returns stability, in which power and force do not prevail. Go

Algerian Minister of National Solidarity and Family Rabea Mechernene stated that her country is moving toward achieving President Abdelaziz Bouteflika's draft for achieving national reconciliation. In special statements to the Egyptian al-Ahram newspaper today in Doha, where she is currently visiting it to fulfill the invitation of Sheikha Moza, wife of Qatar's emir, Mechernene said, "All the state's sectors support the president's initiative as Algeria has no choice but reconciliation, especially in the remote places away from the capital." Go

Syrian Foreign Minister Farouk al-Sharaa on Monday night opened the premises of the new Syrian embassy in Canada. The inauguration ceremony was attended by members of parliament and officials at the Canadian Foreign Ministry, Arab and foreign ambassadors accredited in Ottawa and the Syrian community. Go

Arab League Secretary General Esmat Abdul Meguid has announced the readiness of the Arab League to host the Somali national reconciliation conference under the condition that there are good preparations for it in coordination with all Somali factions and sides concerned and in collaboration with regional states and organizations. Following his talks with the two Somali leaders, Ali Mahdi Muhammad and Hussein Aideed, the AL chief said he had urged the two men to work for restoring security and stability to Sudan. Go

The Moroccan interior department granted the French trade and industry chamber a collective plot of land near Casablanca to build an industrial zone. The project will be carried out by the Moroccan branch of the French chamber in partnership with the rural commune of Bouskoura, south of Casablanca and the chamber of commerce and industry of Rouen, western France. The site will host 100 to 120 firms that will invest an estimated 2 billion dh ($ 200 million) and generate 6,000 jobs. Go

A statement issued yesterday by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's office said that Annan, "has expressed his satisfaction in noting that the United Nations Inter-agency humanitarian assessment mission to the Sudanese People's Liberation Movement Army (SPLM/A)-held areas of the Nuba Mountains, in the South Kordofan state of the Sudan, began yesterday and is proceeding positively." Go

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) said that a recent drought in the African Horn area could cause shortages of food in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya. Lack of rain in the Ethiopian highlands has meant low water levels in Somali rivers, the WFP said. It added that areas that are especially at risk of poor crops include the Juba Valley, parts of Bay and Bakool, as well as Somaliland's agricultural areas. Go

Iranian judicial sources stated yesterday that the trial of 13 Iranian Jews before a revolutionist court in Sheraz, southern Iran on charges of spying for Israel, is near. The sources refused to disclose the date of trial. The suspects are facing the death penalty according to Iranian law, which calls for executing civilians for spying for the U.S.A and Israel. Go

Miss Morocco, 17-year old Rokia Moukite, is taking part along with more than 40 beauties in the finals of the 1999 world model contest "Metropolitan Top Model" to be held in Paris next November. Go

Leader of the Moroccan right-wing National Democratic Party (PND), Arsalane Al-Jadidi, passed away on Tuesday here after a long illness. Al-Jadidi, 73, held several ministerial positions until 1984. in 1990, his health state compelled him to give up his activities on top of the PND. Go

French President Jacques Chirac met on Tuesday with the Sultan Qaboos of Oman who arrived in Paris on June 17 for a private visit. The French president discussed with Sultan Qaboos current issues, foremost being security in the Gulf region, the Middle East peace process, the Iraqi crisis, developments of conditions in Kosovo as well as bilateral relations between the two countries and means of developing them, MENA reported. Go

Italy and Ethiopia on Monday signed an agreement provides for Italian offer of US $ 112 in an attempt to strengthen cooperation and development between the two countries. Xinhua, the Chinese news agency, said the donation will be used in backing rural development, food security, roads, health and education projects. Go

An official at the Jordanian Ministry of Agriculture, Mazin al-Khasawenah, said Jordan is currently facing an unprecedented drought, a situation which greatly affects agricultural crops. In an interview with Monte Carlo Radio on Tuesday, the Jordanian official stated that the damage resulting from the drought for this year is estimated at more than US $200 million. Go

Iranian Foreign Minister Kamal Kharazi has asserted that the Arab states have won the priority in Iran's foreign policy. He indicated the progress attained in relations between Iran and Egypt during the two past days, saying that there is good cooperation between the two countries in various fields. Go

The fourth international archbishop and clergy conference was opened on Tuesday in al-Nasera, for the first time in Israel with the participation of some 800 Christian men of religion from 50 countries in the world and another 300 from Israel and the Palestinian Authority. Go